AN APPARATUS FOR METHANE-PRODUCTION

Abstract

The methods and installations of mathane-production, using some refuse like garbage, domestic sewage and an especially-grown plant as raw materials, is made known to the public in this invention, with which the production can be continuously conducted on a large scale. In this invention, first put the container loaded with raw materials into the mathane-generating pit to ferment, and move it out after fermentation, then put another one loaded with new raw materials into the pit, thus forming an assembly line of production. The production in packets can achieve continuous, airtight, automated operation, lowering the whole cost of waste disposal, significantly reducing energy consumption and saving manpower. To use mathane as energy can bring economic returns. The production methods can be used to dispose of refuse, sewage life, plants, garbage and so on, with the characteristics of more thorough fermentation, balanced delivery of the raw materials, less pollution caused by residual soluble pollutants such as heavy metals.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENT ACT 1970 (39 of 1970) &The Patents Rules, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION(See section 10 and rule 13)1. Method and Installations of Methane-production2.(A) MA, Liguo(B) CHINA(C) Floor 4, No.34, Jichang Road, Jindu District,Chengdu, Sichuan 610211 China
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Technical Field
The invention concerns the methods and installations of methane-production, particularly, those used to produce methane from refuse such as garbage, domestic sewage, plants and so on.
Technical Background
The urban waste, sewage, easily-decomposed organic wastewater from industry, animal feces, garbage from breeding farm, all these need a more effective, more cost-effective, fully automatic treatment which can bring certain economic benefits. Along with economic development, energy supply have become increasingly tense. The whole world is in search of energy alternatives. It will be a very economical method of green-energy production to produce methane from crop waste and man-cultivated plants that can produce methane, to use methane to intermittently generate electricity to alleviate the cities' electricity supply in peak hours. The energy production in this way is more economical than the ethanol production from corn and sugar cane.
Mathane is converted from biomass energy. The manual methods of mathane production are called anaerobic digestion, that is, the organic matters ferment and decompose under the influence of methane bacteria in the airtight environment. In this way, the feces and refuse are treated positively and turned into valuables. After combustion, the remainders are carbon dioxide and water, causing no pollution to the air, doing no

harm to the crops and humanity. Hence, it is a valuable technology of the environment protection. Developing mathane resources is also one of the important ways to solve the problem of rural fuels. The raw materials for mathane production are all organic matters from people and livestock manure, weeds, straw, leaves, litter and so on. Additionly, the raw materials can be the sludge and wastewater containing organic matters from industrial and agricultural production, such as the residue of brew and food processing as well as the sludge from sewage works. There is lots of technology of producing mathane such as handling organic waste by anaerobic fermentation and producing mathane in the countryside. However, in the conventional production process, the residue as well as the crusts on the liquid surface in the methane-generating pit lead a great impact on the production of methane, which is a big problem. In addition, in order to ensure the continunity and stability of methane-production, the raw materials for mathane in the methane-generating pits are required to be provided in balance. At the same time, because of many kinds of undecomposed matters in the waste, one methane production system needs to handle a variety of pollutants, and the residue must be separated after the production. At present, these problems are not well resolved. Furthermore, as for the current treatment of organic matters from the industrial and agricultural production as well as urban waste, these ways are usually adopted, that is, first sorting, differentiating the organic

matters from the inorganic ones, then incineration, landfill, which are detrimental to the improvement of public sanitation, working conditions and the control of infectious disease. It will be of great importance to the environment protection and the use of renewable sources of energy to treat the biodegradable waste automatically and produce mathane from organic waste automatically or semi-automatically on a large scale. Invention
The invention provides methods and installations for continuous, large-scale production of mathane to solve the existing technical problems.
The technological plans involved in this invention include the following steps:
(1): Put the raw materials containing easily-decomposed, organic matters into the container which can separate solids while allow the liquid to pass. To prevent fermentation liquid from acidosis, the pH in the mathane-generating pit should be maintained between 6 and 8. Put the container into mathane-generating pit, making sure that the raw materials are thoroughly sunk into the fermentation liquid and ferment at between 15°Cand80°C.
(2) Collect the mathane after fermentation.
(3) After the fermentation, move the container out and put another one loaded with untreated raw materials into the mathane-generating pit.

In order to better meet the need of continuous production, in step (1), the fermentation time of the raw materials should correspond with the temperature of fermentation. That is, if the temperature in the mathane-generating pit is between 15 ° C and 80 ° C , the fermentation will last for 36 days to 13 days. It is recommended that the fermentation temperature in the mathane-generating pit should be maintained at about 57 °C
To meet the existing mandatory requirements of waste disposal in some countries, such as the standards of waste disposal of the EU, in step (1), first heat and maintain the temperature at above 75 ° C for more than 1 hour, then put the liquid-permeable container into the mathane-generating pit.
It is suggested that, before the liquid-permeable container loaded with raw materials being put into the pre-treatment pond and heated, alkaline substances such as calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, industrial lye wastewater are added to the raw materials. Doing that is to more effectively kill harmful microorganisms, bacteria, insect eggs and so forth before pre-treatment, to concentrate soluble phosphate and release ammonia, and to be more conducive to the maintenance of pH, to speed up the decomposition of raw materials in the mathane-production pit.
After step (3), open the container and separate the residue. After

separation, use the dehydrated fine slag for farming, collect recyclable rough slag, burn the remainder, thus further enhancing the comprehensive efficiency.
The raw materials for mathane-production can be one sort of or any random combination of the urban garbage, people and livestock manure, plants, the organic waste and sludge from industrial and agricultural production.
To ensure the production efficiency, it will be better to select decomposable organic matters as the raw materials. Therefore, inorganic weights should be removed before the raw materials being loaded into the container.
To avoid the surface crusts caused by the floating raw materials, the best way is to put the selected light raw materials that make use of their own weight to press the heavy ones, so as to prevent the heavy ones from floating to the surface when raw materials being loaded into the container.
The production installations of mathane are characterized by the following aspects: the airtight mathane-generating pit, at least one exit and entrance for the loaded container, the container separating the solids while allowing liquid to pass, the exit and entrance being installed under the fermentation liquid, the opening to collect mathane on top of the mathane-generating pit, heating installation in the pit.

In order to facilitate the access of materials to the pit, the conveyor track is installed in the mathane-generating pit ,which extends to the outside across the exit and entrance for the raw materials .
To facilitate continuous production and control the pace of production, the conveyor installation which can hold the container, is equipped on the conveyor track.
The conveyor track can be installed at the bottom of the mathane-generating pit. A trolley can be used as the conveyor installation which holds the container.
It is also feasible to set the track on top. That is to say, the conveyor track can be set independently on top of the mathane-generating pit, the conveyor installation which can hold the container hanging on the conveyor track. Conveyor tracks can be set simultaneously on top and at the bottom, thus holding the heavier loaded container by supporting and hanging.
To facilitate the automatic production and reduce labor intensity, the conveyor installation can be controlled by driving devices.
In order to better kill harmful microbes, parasites eggs, a pre-treatment pond with heating installation in it is equipped beside the mathane-generating pit.

The conveyor track extends to the pre-treatment pond. The exit on the pre-treatment pond is set correspondently with the exit and entrance for raw materials in the mathane-generating pit.
The conveyor track extends to the sieving pool. The sieving pool, pre-treatment pond and mathane-generating pit should be arranged in order.
This invention will produce remarkable results. In the process of production, raw materials are put into the container, which leads to continuous, airtight operation that is fully automatic or semi-automatic after simplification , occupying less place. The problems of disposing the leaching liquid in garbage disposal plant will be well solved by the way of using garbage as raw materials to produce mathane , thus lowering the whole cost, significantly reducing energy consumption, saving manpower. To use mathane as energy can bring economic returns. Disposing garbage in this way can not only produce mathane, but also divide the tremendous volume of waste into packets, which brings more thorough fermentation, thus ensuring the continuous, automatic, stable, batch process of the waste disposal. Treating waste in packets in this invention is to obtain a continuous process, balancing the transport of the materials and improving the efficiency of waste disposal .The undisposed waste is loaded in the container, thus avoiding the crusts and precipitations during the fermentation. Sorting recyclable plastics after the innocuous treatment

can ensure the health of workers. The fermentation liquid and bacteria within and outside the container can freely exchange, which speeds up the fermentation. During the production process, the soluble, heavy metal-salts and other harmful, soluble substances are kept in the fermentation liquid in the mathane-generating pit. The liquid will not be decontaminated until those harmful substances have accumulated to a certain amount and impacted on the environment, thus greatly cutting the costs of treating low concentration of pollutants, reducing the contamination caused by the heavy metals . It is accordingly feasible as well as economical to extract heavy metals from the liquid in mathane-generating pit when they have accumulated to a certain amount. The methods and installations in this invention can be used to dispose of refuse, life sewage, plants and so on.
Illustration
Figure 1 is the diagram of the production process.
Figure 2 is the diagram of the structure of the production installations.
Marks in the picture: 1 mathane-generating pit, 2 liquid-permeable container, 3 pre-treatment pond, 4 exit and entrance, 6 conveyor track, 7 opening for mathane-collection , 8 conveyor installation, 9 sieving pool,
10 heating device, 11 heating device.

Specific methods of implementation
As figure 1 and figure 2 show, the methods of mathane production in this invention include the following steps:
(1) Put the raw materials containing easily-decomposed, organic
matters into the container 2 which can separate solids while allow the
liquid to pass. The pH in the mathane-generating pit 1 should be
maintained between 6 and 8. Put the container 2 into
mathane-generating pit 1 , making sure that the raw materials are
thoroughly sunk into the fermentation liquid and ferment at from 15 ° C
to 80 ° C .
(2) Collect the mathane after fermentation. The frequency of collection depends on the output of mathane. For example, mathane can be pumped out at regular intervals, then stored into gas containers.
(3) After the fermentation, move the container 2 out and put another one loaded with untreated raw materials into the mathane-generating pit 1. The completion of fermentation means most of the decomposable organic matters in the raw materials, say 90%—98%, are decomposed.
In the steps mentioned above, the fermentation liquid can be made by adding water to the existing bacteria then vaccinating, or vaccinating with sludge. These are available technologies which needn't be repeated here.

The raw materials for mathane-production can be one sort of or any random combination of the urban garbage, people and livestock manure, plants, the organic waste and sludge from industrial and agricultural production. It is a relatively good way to dispose waste. The specially-grown plants alone can also be used as raw material. Different raw materials release different acidic substances in the fermentation, which demands different amounts of alkaline substances to be added to the different materials, so that the pH of fermentation liquid in the pit 1 will be regulated and maintained between 6 and 8.
The quantity of the liquid-permeable container 2 should be in accordance with the size of mathane-generating pit 1 and the amount of the raw materials. One container 2 with raw materials can be treated once, so can multiple containers 2.
In step(l), the fermentation time of the raw materials should correspond with the temperature of fermentation. That is, if the temperature in the mathane-generating pit is between 15 ° C and 80 ° C , the fermentation will last for 36 days to 13 days. For example, the fermentation lasts for about 13 days when the temperature is 60 °C, about 36 days when it is 30 °C, about 20 days when it is 45 °C. The best fermentation temperature is 57 ° C.
According to the standards of waste-disposal of the EU, the undisposed garbage must be kept in the environment of above 75 ° C for more than

one hour. In step (1), put the loaded container 2 into the pre-treatment pond 3, heat it to above 75 ° C and maintain it for more than one hour, then put it into the mathane-generating pit 1. The raw materials can be heated in various ways, such as heating by steam, electricity, radiator, cooling tube etc..
It is suggested that , before the liquid-permeable container 2 loaded with raw materials being put into the pre-treatment pond 3 and heated, alkaline substances such as calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, industrial lye wastewater are added to the raw materials.The amount of alkaline substances depends on the elements of organic matters.So the amount can be regulated by different raw materials.Adding alkaline substances to the raw materials is to more effectively kill harmful microorganisms, bacteria, insect eggs and so forth before pre-treatment, to concentrate soluble phosphate and release ammonia, and to be more conducive to the maintenance of pH, to speed up the decomposition of raw materials in the mathane-production pit 1.
Afer step (3), open the container 2 and separate the residue. After separation, use the dehydrated fine slag for farming , collect recyclable rough slag, burn the remainder, thus further enhancing the comprehensive efficiency.
In the steps above, to ensure the production efficiency, it will be better to select raw materials, remove inorganic weights before loading the

container 2, thus increasing the content of organic matters in the raw materials.
To avoid the surface crusts caused by the floating raw materials, the best way is to put the selected light raw materials that make use of their own weight to press the heavy ones , so as to prevent the heavy ones from floating to the surface when raw materials loaded into the container.
The production installations of mathane consist of the following devices: the airtight mathane-generating pit 1, at least one exit and entrance 4 for the loaded container 2, the container 2 barring the solids while allowing liquid to pass, the exit and entrance 4 for the loaded container 2 being installed under the fermentation liquid, thus the exit and entrance 4 being sealed by the fermentation liquid, the opening 7 to collect mathane at the top of the mathane-generating pit 1, a heating installation 10 in the pit 1. There can be one channel 4 used as exit as well as entrance or two used respectively as exit and entrance 4. A number of small mathane-generating pits can also be put together to form a large one, fitting the production of different scales under given geographical conditions.
In order to facilitate the access of the container 2 to the pit 1, the conveyor track 6 is installed in the mathane-generating pit 1 ,which connects with the exit and entrance 4 and extends out of the mathane-generating pit 1. With the conveyor track 6, the loaded container

2 can be conveniently put into the mathane-generating pit 1. The conveyor track 6 can be flexibly arranged to meet different needs, usually being cyclic or part-cyclic, thus guaranteeing the continuity of production . For example, when the mathane-generating pit 1 is equipped with an exit and entrance 4, the conveyor track 6 can be part-cyclic in the mathane-generating pit 1. When the mathane-generating pit 1 is equipped with one exit and one entrance 4 , the conveyor track 6 can be cyclic, thus the container 2 can be got into and out of the mathane-generating pit 1 without interference.
To facilitate continuous production and control production pace, the conveyor installation 8 which can hold the container 2 is set on the conveyor track 6 . The conveyor installation 8 can be replaced with a trolley or a hook on the conveyor-chain-like track 6. Accordingly, the conveyor track 6 can be set independently or simultaneously on top and at the bottom of the mathane-generating pit 1.
The conveyor installation 8 can be controled manually or driven by chain, roller, steel cable, tracting and pushing ect.These are common ways to convey materials in mechanical field which needn't to be repeated here.
The pre-treatment pond 3 with a heating installation 11 is set beside the mathane-generating pit 1 . Before putting container 2 into the pit 1, raw materials should be heated in pond 3 and the temperature should be

maintained above 75 ° C for an hour ,thus effectively killing the harmful insect eggs and other microorganisms. In this way, part of the heat produced in the pre-treatment will be taken into the mathane-generating pit 1 to enhance the temperature ,speed up the fermentation and save energy.
Conveyor track 6 can be extended to the pre-treatment pond 3. The exit on the pre-treatment pond 3 is correspondly set with the exit and entrance 4, that is, the exit on the pre-treatment pond 3 is also one exit and entrance 4 , thus improving production efficiency, shortening production cycles , lowering the cost of the investment.
Conveyor track 6 is extended to the sieving pool 9.The sieving pool 9, pre-treatment pond 3 and mathane-generating pit 1 should be arranged in order. Sieving and separation are conducted in pool 9.Vibrating sieving and conveyor belt can be combinated for the sieving. In this way, the separation of the crude and fine slag is perfectly combined with the sterilization and the production , forming an assembly line of production.

We Claim:
1 The methods of mathane production include the following steps: (1): Put the raw materials containing easily-decomposed, organic matters into the container 2 which can separate solids and allow the liquid to pass. The pH in the mathane-generating pit 1 should be maintained between 6 and 8. Put the container 2 into mathane-generating pit 1 , making sure that the raw materials are thoroughly sunk into the fermentation liquid and ferment at between 15 ° C and 80 ° C .
(2) Collect the mathane after fermentation.
(3) After the fermentation, the container 2 should be moved out and another one loaded with untreated raw materials is put into the mathane-generating pit 1.
2> As described in clause 1, in step (1), fermentation time of the raw materials in the container 2 should correspond with the fermentation temperature. That is, if the temperature in the mathane-generating pit 1 is between 15 ° C and 80 ° C , the fermentation will last for 36 days to 13 days.
3> As described in clause 2, the fermentation temperature in the mathane-generating pit 1 should be maintained at about 57 ° C.
4> As described in clause 1, 2 or 3, in step (1), put the loaded container 2 into the pre-treatment pond 3, heat and maintain the temperature above

75 ° C for more than one hour, then put it into the mathane-generating pit 1.
5 As described in clause 1,2 or 3, some alkaline substances can be added to the raw materials before the container 2 being put into the pre-treatment pond 3.
6 As described in one of the clauses from 1 to 5, after step(3), open the container 2 and separate the crude slag from the fine one.
7 As described in one of the clauses from 1 to 6, the raw materials for mathane-production can be one sort of or any random combination of the urban garbage, people and livestock manure, plants, the organic waste and sludge of industrial and agricultural production.
8^ As described in one of the clauses from 1 to 7, inorganic weights should be removed before the raw materials being loaded into the container 2.
9 The production installations of mathane are characterized by the following aspects: the airtight mathane-generating pit 1, at least one exit and entrance 4 for the loaded container 2, the container 2 barring the solids while allowing liquid to pass, the exit and entrance 4 for the loaded container 4 being installed under the fermentation liquid, the opening 7 to collect mathane on top of the mathane-generating pit 1, heating installation 10 in the pit 1.

l(h As described in clause 9, the conveyor track 6 is installed in the mathane-generating pit 1,which connects with the exit and entrance 4 and extends out of the mathane-generating pit 1.
11 As described in clause 10, the conveyor installation 8 which can hold the container 2 is equipped on the conveyor track 6.
12 As described in clause 11, when the conveyor track 6 is installed at the bottom of the mathane-generating pit 1 , a trolley is used as the conveyor installation 8 which can hold the container 2.
13 As described in clause 11 or 12 , when the conveyor track 6 is set independently on top of the mathane-generating pit 1, the conveyor installation 8 which can hold the container 2 hangs on the conveyor track 6.
14 -. As described in one of the clauses from 10 to 16, conveyor installation 8 can be controled by driving installation.
15^ As described in one of the clauses from 10 to 16, a pre-treatment pond 3 with heating installation 11 is equipped beside the mathane-generating pit 1.
16 As described in clause 17, the conveyor track 6 extends to the pre-treatment pond 3 .
17 As described in clause 17 or 18 , the conveyor track 6 extends to the sieving pool 9. The sieving pool 9, pre-treatment pond 3 and mathane-generating pit 1 should be arranged in order.

18 Methods and Installation of Methane-productiuon as herein described with forgoing description and drawings.

Abstract
The methods and installations of mathane-production, using some refuse like garbage, domestic sewage and an especially-grown plant as raw materials, is made known to the public in this invention, with which the production can be continuously conducted on a large scale. In this invention, first put the container loaded with raw materials into the mathane-generating pit to ferment, and move it out after fermentation, then put another one loaded with new raw materials into the pit, thus forming an assembly line of production. The production in packets can achieve continuous, airtight, automated operation, lowering the whole cost of waste disposal, significantly reducing energy consumption and saving manpower. To use mathane as energy can bring economic returns. The production methods can be used to dispose of refuse, sewage life, plants, garbage and so on, with the characteristics of more thorough fermentation, balanced delivery of the raw materials, less pollution caused by residual soluble pollutants such as heavy metals.